Submitted PhotoGeorgia Quality Cotton Award winners include Peyton Sapp, University of Georgia extension-Burke County; Chris Chammoun, Georgia Cotton Commission; Jacob Sandeford, 2016 Best Cotton Award winner; Ralph Sandeford, Midville Warehouse.

VALDOSTA — The 2016 Georgia Quality Cotton Awards were presented at the Georgia Cotton Commission’s 10th annual meeting and University of Georgia cotton production workshop. 

The awards are co-sponsored by the Georgia Cotton Commission and Bayer CropScience, and administered by the University of Georgia Cotton Team, according to a press release.

The purpose of the awards are to recognize producers and ginners of high-quality cotton fiber and to identify their management practices for the benefit of other growers, according to organizers. 

The producers and their gins received a plaque and the winning producers received a $500 cash award. 

County extension agents were also recognized as they work closely with the farmers during the growing season.

The awards are given in three cotton acreage categories: 1) less than 500 acres, 2) 500 to 1,000 acres, and 3) greater than 1,000 acres within the four regions of the state. Winners in the categories are determined by the loan value and premiums of their cotton. 

South Georgia winners are:

Region 3: Less than 500 acres – William and Tracey Edmonson of Brooks County, BCT Gin-Quitman, with agent Stephanie Hollifield. 500 to 1,000 acres – Ben Strickland of Lanier County, BCT Gin-Quitman, with agent Jeremy Taylor. Greater than 1,000 acres – Dewitt Farms of Brooks County, BCT Gin-Quitman, with agent Stephanie Hollifield.

The final award given was the overall Best Cotton Award. This was awarded to the Georgia cotton producer with highest loan value and premium. The 2016 Best Cotton Award went to Jacob Sandeford with a loan value of 57.52 cents per pound and a premium of 5.52 cents per pound.